PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF ONONIS ARVENSIS L.

Phytochemicals, such as polyphenols, are strong antioxidants and have an important role in the human health system. The present study investigates the content of total phenolics, flavonoids, tannins and the antioxidant activity of Ononis arvensis using the in vitro ABTS" antioxidant assay for the first time. Extracts were prepared with three different types of solvents: water, 50% ethanol, methanol. Among the studied parts, the 50% ethanol extract of the flower showed the highest polyphenolic content (96.33 +/- 7.7 mg GAE/100 g dw), while the 50% ethanol extract of the flower (81.58 +/- 3.1 mg QE/100 g dw) and the aerial part (21.15 +/- 1.3 mg QE/100 g dw) showed the highest total flavonoid content. The total tannin concentration of the aerial part had a low value (0.15 +/- 0.04%). The antioxidant effect was detected in all extracts obtained from flowers; however, ethanol and methanol were more effective.